Performance of lathyrus varieties under different establishment methods in Red and Laterite Zone of West Bengal

A field experiment was conducted in split-plot design to study the performance of lathyrus varieties (Nirmal, Prateek and Ratan) under three different establishment methods (broadcasting, line-sowing and dibbling) at Regional Research Sub-Station, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Raghunathpur West Bengal during rabi season of 2020-21. Irrespective of varieties, lathyrus sown on line sowing and dibbling methods required 2.0 and 3.2 more days to complete life cycle over broadcast sowing. Though, broadcast sowing of lathyrus led to highest number of plants/m (34.2) at maturity stage compared to line sowing (26.8 plants/m) and dibbling (23.2 plants/m) method, but crop sown in line yielded highest (1401 kg/ha) with highest net return (INR. 21,745/ ha). Among three varieties, Ratan appeared suitable due to greater seed yield (1337 kg/ha), net return (INR. 19,723/ha) and B: C ratio (1.57) than Nirmal and Prateek in red and laterite zone of West Bengal.